Scientific Fraud by Strathclyde University Staff
described by Anders Björkman - December 2015 and four years ago

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The below e-mail exchange (last mail 1 April 2011 - a long time ago) may interest visitors to the Heiwa Co web site. It has produced telephone calls to Jim McDonald and about plagiarism! More Jim McDonald! All about Dracos Vassalos' Estonia fraud! Call Jim on +44 141 548 2485 and he will confirm that scientific fraud is permitted at Strathclyde university!

The e-mail exchange starting this ongoing scandal follows:

To Mrs Kochanowska, Strathclyde University, 23 December 2009 (from Anders Björkman):

Dear Mrs Kochanowska!

Two senior staff at your university (a professor and a lecturer) have fairly recently published some 'research' that I consider fraudulent. I have of course published my findings (at http://heiwaco.tripod.com/vassalos.htm) and explained the fraud and one result is that said persons threaten to sue me in France (where I live), unless I remove a fair number of pages from my web site, where the fraud is described.

Evidently I will not remove said information. On the other hand I would like to draw attention of the fraud to the University headmaster or president and board of governors for their action to protect the reputation of the University, and I would be much obliged that you provide me with their style and addresses and any relevant info how to proceed.

With best regards

Yours sincerely

Anders Björkman, M.Sc, Heiwa Co - European Agency for Safety at Sea, Beausoleil, France http://heiwaco.tripod.com 


Reply by Dr Peter West, Secretary to the Strathclyde University - 5 January 2010:

Dear Mr Bjorkman,

I am replying to your e-mail of 23rd December to Ms Kochanowska, who is a member of my staff.

I understand your allegations are the subject of legal proceedings in France for defamation. I will be forwarding your e-mail to Professor Vassalos so that he may, if he so decides, include your accusation of “fraud” in that process.

The University has no intention of investigating your claims whilst those proceedings are continuing and I would be grateful if you would not write again to us in the interim.

PETER WEST

Dr Peter W A West, Secretary to the University, University of Strathclyde, Tele: 0141 548 2001 ,The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, no. SC015263

---

Note that Dr West doesn't provide the requested information:

that you provide me with their (the University headmaster or president and board of governors style and addresses and any relevant info how to proceed).

but changes the subject. Thus the following:

 

Reply by Mr Björkman 5 January 2010:

Dear Dr West

Thanks for quick reply. No, I am not at present subject of any legal proceedings in France for defamation. I have only recieved a registered letter (in French) LRAR n°1A 027 831 8653 1 dated 17 November 2009 by Maître Emmanuel Binda, avocat associé, of P3B Avocats, 5 rue de Tehéran, 75008 Paris, Toque: J122, on behalf of Safety at Sea Ltd (i.e. Prof. Dracos Vassalos and Dr. A. Jasionowski of Strathclyde University) to the effect that I am requested to remove certain web pages from my site http://heiwaco.tripod.com . I have evidently acknowledged receipt of this letter on 25 November 2009 and explained further by letter 28 November 2009 (both in French) and I have not removed anything on the web pages concerned (I have actually added info) and I have since not heard anything from M. Binda. I and my legal advisors very much doubt that they will proceed with any legal actions.

So no legal proceedings of any kind seem to be continuing here in France. Just a friendly correspondence of some kind!

I am very happy that you have forwarded my e-mail to Prof. Vassalos for whatever action he may decide. In the meantime I would be much obliged that you and the University of Strathclyde proceed with the investigation of the fraudulent research by Prof. Vassalos & Co to protect the interests and reputation of your university. I will keep you informed of any further action taken on my part of this serious matter.

With best regards for a Happy New Year 2010

Yours sincerely

Anders Björkman, M.Sc., Heiwa Co - European Agency for Safety at Sea

 

As Dr West didn't take any action I contacted his superiors directly with the following result 28 January 2010:

Anders.....

My University Secretary and Vice Principal are, I am informed, managing this through an established process. I await the outcome

Jim, Professor Jim McDonald, FREng FRSE FIET FInstP, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Rolls-Royce Chair in Electrical Power Systems, The University of Strathclyde, McCance Building, Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ

 

Reminder to Jim 3 March 2010:

From: Anders Björkman [mailto:anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr]

Sent: 03 March 2010 05:56

To: Jim McDonald

Subject: Re: Fraudulous report by Strathclyde University staff Importance: High

Hallo Jim,

Any results of looking?

Best regards

Anders

 

Reply from Jim same day:

I am away from the University at the moment. I will seek an update on my return

Professor Jim McDonald, FREng FRSE FIET FInstP, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Rolls-Royce Chair in Electrical Power Systems, The University of Strathclyde, McCance Building, Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, Tel: +44 141 548 2485, Fax: +44 141 553 1521

Later Jim has informed he will do nothing!! Call him on +44 141 548 2485 and he will confirm it himself!

It is really a scandal! The principal encouraging scientific fraud!

That up-date of my web site produced the following result a little later:

 

On 28 November the e-correspondence re-started!

From: Anders Björkman

Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 12:17 PM

To: Peter West

Cc: Rowena Kochanowska ; Dracos Vassalos ; g.mcarthur@strath.ac.uk ; m.rayner@mis.strath.ac.uk ; c.court@strath.ac.uk

Subject: Re: Fraudulent research by Strathclyde University staff

Hi there,

Christmas is coming up ... you know Father Christmas, etc, so I decided to update http://heiwaco.tripod.com/news.htm and http://heiwaco.tripod.com/strathclyde.htm with some latest news.

kind regards

Anders Björkman, M.Sc., Heiwa Co - European Agency for Safety at Sea

 

A couple of hours later the following arrived:

From: Hugh Hall

Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:48 PM

To: anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr

Subject: False Allegations

Dear Anders Björkman

The Principal has asked me to respond to your various emails.

The University has reviewed the matter and we are satisfied that there is no evidence to support your allegations of fraud by University staff. The University reserves the right to take further action against you if you do not cease making false allegations against the University and its staff.

Yours sincerely

Hugh Hall, Chief Operating Officer, University of Strathclyde, McCance Building, 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk

 

The following was sent soon after:

From: Anders Björkman

Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:35 PM

To: Hugh Hall

Subject: Re: False Allegations

Dear Hugh Hall,

Thanks for below e-mail on behalf of the Principal.

Please advise who is the Principal.

I am happy to finally know that the University has reviewed my suggestions that work by prof. Vassalos and dr. Jasionowski (and students, particularly Clemens Strasser) constitutes scientific fraud.

I am surprised that you have found my suggestions wrong. I would be much obliged to know how you have reached your conclusions. What persons with what qualifications have done what checks, etc and where it is documented?

It is noted that Strathclyde University reserves the right to take further action against me, if I do not cease making false allegations against the University and its staff.

What action have you so far taken against me? I have only been threatened by legal councel at Paris of Vassalos/Jasisonowski and replied to that nonsense and never heard from him since.

As my suggestions of scientific fraud by your staff are still valid, they will remain on my web site.

Pls do not suggest that I make false allegations without any evidence.

I look forward to your clarifications as per above.

Kind regards

Anders Björkman,

Heiwa Co - European Agency for Safety at Sea

 

And the following reply was three minutes later received (it seems the Scots work Sundays!!!):

From: "Hugh Hall" <hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk>

Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:38 PM

To: "Anders Björkman" <anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>

Subject: Read: False Allegations

Your message was read on Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:38:46 PM (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time : Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London.

 

After all this the following was received:

From: "Dracos Vassalos" <d.vassalos@strath.ac.uk>

Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:53 PM

To: "Anders Björkman" <anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>

Subject: Not read: Fraudulent research by Strathclyde University staff

Your message was deleted without being read on Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:53:24 PM (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time : Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London.

It seems Vassalos doesn't like the developments.

 

On December 14, 2010, the following was received:

From: "Hugh Hall" <hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk>

Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 3:33 PM

To: "Anders Björkman" <anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>

Subject: RE: False Allegations

Dear Anders

I refer to your email [of November 28] and also your recent email to the Principal Jim McDonald.

The University considers this matter closed and we will not enter into further correspondence with you.

With very best wishes for the future.

Yours sincerely

Hugh Hall, Chief Operating Officer

 

I replied the same day:

From: "Anders Björkman" <anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>

Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 5:06 PM

To: "Hugh Hall" <hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk>

Subject: Re: False Allegations

Dear Mr Hall,

I do not consider this matter closed and look foward to a copy of your investigation into the matter where you conclude my allegations are wrong and the work by Vassalos & Co is correct. According Jim such an investigation has been done and I would like to see the report. I will update my web site accordingly.

It seems Vassalos & Co have withdrawn the threat of legal action against me. I wonder why?

kind regards

A Björkman

 

In spite of the Strathclyde University warning of 28 November 2010 - The University reserves the right to take further action against you if you do not cease making false allegations against the University and its staff - by 12 January 2010 no such action has been taken! I wonder why? Strathclyde University maintains they have reviewed the matter - The University has reviewed the matter and we are satisfied that there is no evidence to support your allegations of fraud by University staff - but does nothing. So on 12 January following was sent:

From: Anders Björkman

Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:39 PM

To: Hugh Hall

Cc: d.vassalos@na-me.ac.uk ; a.jasionowski@safety-at-sea.co.uk ; Jim McDonald

Subject: Re: False Allegations

Dear Mr Hall,

pls respond to [mail December, 14, 2010]! Do you really suggest that research by Vassalos & Co under discussion is correct and that I am wrong? If so, present your evidence, i.e. your in-house report.

If you, your Principal and Strathclyde University cannot do that, I expect a simple excuse would be nice to clear and clean up your awful conduct. Followed by expulsion of Vassalos & Co of course.

Any problems there?

kind regards

Anders Björkman

 

No reply by 31 March 2011!! So this reminder:

 From: Anders Björkman

Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 8:14 AM

To: Hugh Hall

Cc: d.vassalos@na-me.ac.uk ; a.jasionowski@safety-at-sea.co.uk ; Jim McDonald

Subject: Re: False Allegations

Dear Mr Hall & Co,

It seems Jim McDonald is under review by

http://www.unileaks.org/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=showcat&catid=245&Itemid=23

for plagiarism of his PhD-thesis 1990. Any comments? It may explain why Jim is soft on the Vassalos/Jasionowski fraud!

Any news about your in-house report that the Vassalos/Jasionowski findings are correct? Does it actually exist?

kind regards

Anders Björkman 

oo0oo

 

The scientific fraud in question concerns findings in report Technical Summary of the Investigation on the Sinking Sequence of MV Estonia written by Andrzej Jasionowski, Dracos Vassalos, Piotr Dolebski, Jerzy Prigara, Luis Guarin, Anthony York, Tolasz Grzes, Przemek Zagorski, Clemens Strasser, and checked by Dracos Vassalos and approved by Dracos Vassalos and reviewed by me.

Dracos Vassalos is and Andrzej Jasionowski was employed by the Strathclyde University. They both believe that capsized ships, floating upside down on an intact hull, sink when the trapped air in the hull is compressed ... and does not provide buoyancy.

PROF Dracos Vassalos is professor of maritime safety at Strathclyde University and also member of the EPSRC Marine Technology College, member of the UK Delegation to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for ship stability; harmonisation group for damage stability; safety of bulk carriers; safety of large cruise liners, principal witness to Shipping Policy of the DETR on the Reopened Formal Inquiry for MV Derbyshire, chairman of the Specialist Committee on Ship Stability at the ITTC, chairman of International Workshops on Stability and Operational Safety of Ships, chairman of the Standing Committee for the International Conference on the Stability of Ships and Ocean Vehicles, chairman of the Executive Committee of WEGEMT (an Association of 43 European Universities in Marine Technology and Related Sciences), member of the Gothenburg Technical Group on Damage Stability Standards for Ro-Ro Vessels, member of the British Marine Hydrodynamics Panel (BMHP), member of the Denny Tank Management Board, co-ordinator of the EU Thematic Network Design for Safety, external examiner for the MSc Course in Marine Technology and Offshore Engineering of the Department of Marine Technology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, external examiner of the MSc Course in Marine Science and Technology at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, member of the UK MCA Advisory Group on High Speed Craft, member of the EU R&DCG sub-group for Framework Programme 5, member of the Scottish branch of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, member of the ISOPE Technical Committee and member of the Merger Implementation Group (Merger between the Departments of Naval Architecture of Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities).

DR Andrzej Jasionowski was lecturer at Strathclyde University and now works somewhere else!

In above mentioned report and associated video simulation they allege, i.a., that a full scale ferry, which is floating upside down after capsize, quickly sinks on the stern during only abt. 15-20 minutes (only due to compression of trapped air inside the hull).

It is a fact that at ship or ferry, which is floating upside down after capsize, cannot sink at all unless you completely remove a certain amount of compressed air/buoyancy inside the hull. There are numerous, well documented incidents like that. Anybody suggesting the opposite in a scientific report and video simulation, e.g. that the air is slowly compressed during a certain time (15-20 minutes?), is deceiving the readers and viewers and and producing scientific fraud.

Note that the video is of a full scale ferry that sinks in 15-20 minutes due to air being slowly compressed (sic) and buoyancy being lost (sic). The video strangely copies the sinking of a model ferry - scale 1/40 - which also sinks in 15-20 minutes time due to air being released from the hull via two valves in the bottom of the model (otherwise the model would not sink!). Shouldn't the model sink much faster as it is smaller? Less air to compress! Less buoyancy to lose?

Ferry floating after capsize - it cannot sink! The air inside the hull cannot leak out!

Actually both sinkings are faked to mislead the public and are pure fraud - supported by Strathclyde University and Jim McDonald!

Anders Björkman